Anonymous: New Jersey Police Likely an Enduring Target

TLP: WHITE 

Summary

The international hacktivist group Anonymous probably will continue to release personal information online—a tactic known as “doxing”—of New Jersey law enforcement officers it perceives use excessive force, as it did last week against Vineland police personnel. Anonymous in recent months also targeted police and government representatives in Cleveland and Ferguson following alleged police brutality.

• On 6 April, Anonymous posted a YouTube video threatening retaliation against the Vineland Police Department for the 31 March arrest and subsequent death of Phillip White. In the video, Anonymous demanded Vineland authorities release the names of the officers involved in the incident and place them on administrative leave within 24 hours. When the group’s demands were not met, it initiated doxing tactics and posted the home addresses, phone numbers, and emails of the mayor of Vineland and the officers.
   
• This year, Anonymous launched a separate but related campaign known as “OpCodeBlue,” which aims to gather information on law enforcement agencies it deems corrupt to support future doxing attacks. 
   
• In December, the NJ Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Cell (NJCCIC) at the NJ Regional Operations Intelligence Center (ROIC) released a report recommending that all law enforcement officers and public safety officials in New Jersey take proactive steps to limit their online presence and to remove personally identifiable information from social media sites.